Wheel skate or the like



June 24, 1930. J, H, WYNDHAM v 1,768,228"z June 24, 1930. 1. H. WYNDHAM WHEEL SKATE 0E TEE LIKE Filed March 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATS PATENT @FFEC JOHN HENRY WYNDHAM, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO DALE FORTY .AND

COMPANY, LIMITED, OF BIRIMINGHAM, ENGLAND WHEEL SKATE on THE Lrxn Application led March 9, 1928, Serial No. 260,520, and in Great Britain March 18, 1927.

rIhis invention relates to wheel skates and has for its object to provide a simplified and improved form of foot vehicle commonly known as a road skate.

In its broadest aspect the present invention consists in the provision of a threewheel road skate or the like wherein the wheel base or foot supporting frame is adapted to be adjustable in such a manner as to accommodate different foot dimensions, and according to a further feature of the invention means associated with movable elements of the foot supporting frame are provided whereby the toe portion of the foot is readily engaged and securely maintained when the skate is in adjusted position. A still further feature of the invention is constituted by the fact that the foot supporting member is adapted to extend rearwardly to a distance beyond the rear axle suiiicient to enable the entire skate to be tilted about the rear wheels with the aid of the foot and thus-temporarily lift the front wheel away from the surface of the ground when it is desired to change the direction of movement of the skate. The wheel base is preferably located so that the centre of gravity of the skate is appreciably low with respect to the level of the ground, thereby rendering the skate of enhanced stability.

Extensible or adjustable road skates have been proposed heretofore and according to one example of a two wheeled skate use has been made of Jtwo longitudinally adjustable body members arranged so as to be underslung and intermediate the axles of respective end wheels, there being also provided toe engaging -straps upon the forwardly located extension member and a heel embracing member mounted upon the rear Vextension member. Y

More particularly the present invention comprises a three wheeled skate comprising two longitudinallyv adjustable wheeled plate members, toe and heel engagingmeans integrally associated respectively with each of saidk plate members and co-operating to sej cure the skate upon a foot in accordance with the degree of adjustment made, said heelv engaging means being so located that the heel portion of the foot resides substantially in a region between the two rear wheels of the skate. Y

' In order that the invention may be more readily understood reference is directed to the accompanying drawings illustrative of one convenient form of road skate constructed in accordance with the invention, and wherein Fig. l is a general side the entire device.

Fig. 2 is a plan of that represented by Fig. I, while Fig. 3 is an underside plan view of the device illustrating more clearly the manner in which adjustment of the relatively movable parts is made.

Referring now to these drawings throughout the several views of which similar portions of the device are represented by like reference characters the numeral 2 designates 4a main platform or foot support made offsteel metal or any other suitable material and of substantially rectangular form. (1o-operating with the said support 2 is provided an extension plate 3 arranged so as to be capable of sliding relatively to the support 2, and as may be observed from Fig. 3 the plate 8 has secured thereto by rivets 4 a yoke Ymember 5 terminating in a forked extension 6 at one end and an extending limb 7 adapted-to slide over the underside of the support 2. The limb 7 is pro-- vided with an eyelet 8 through which the shank of a bolt 9 may pass, said bolt ,being adapted to extend from the plate 3 through a slot l0 provided in the plate 2 and in this manner the members' 2 and. 3 maybe secured in adjusted position by means of a clamping wing nut l1. In order-to enhance the stability of the skate as a whole the plates 2 and 3 are mounted relatively close to the ground and this isaccomplished by elevational view of providing an upturned portion of the forked extension 6 so that a suitable front wheel l2 may be mounted at 13,/ a point substantially higher from the ground than the plane in which the plates-2 and 3 are located. VIn a similar manner a'relatively low Y point of suspension may be attained for the rear wheel mounting of the device, and to this end the plate 2 is provided with a shaped member 14C riveted thereto at 15 and provided with upturned bracket portions 15a and 15,b to the upper ends of which are mounted suitable wheels 162L and 16" respectively. f

lThe rear end of the plate 2 as may be seen from Fig. 2 extends appreciably beyond the centres of the wheels 16a and 16b for the purpose of enabling the user to tilt the front wheel readily from the ground and alter its course.

The relative longitudinal adjustment of the plates 2 and 3 may be readily effected by merely slackening the wing nut'll and sliding the said plates within the range afforded by the length of the slot 10 and in order tov prevent undue strain downwardly projecting guide stops 17 may be provided upon the plate 3, to limit the relative longitudinal adjustment of the plates 2 and 3. The device is illustrated in extended form by A in Fig. 3 wherein the appro- `priate members are shown in dotted .outline in such extended position.

In order to secure the skate to the foot of a user the plate 3 is provided with a curved tongue or member 18 adapted to embrace a substantial portion of the toe cap, the heel of the wearer being adapted to reside within the curvature of a contact plate or member 19 provided upon the rear end Vof the platform 2. In this manner the skate maybe secured to the foot without the aid of foot straps, it being merely necessary to adjust the plates 2 and 3 suitable for the size of the foot engagedl and .to tighten the wing nut 11 when in adjusted position. The curvan ture ofthe plate 19 adequately forms a I guard whereby lateral displacement of the foot is-limited to an extent sufficient to prevent undesired contact with the side wheels.

It has been foundy that a road4 skate embodied in the 'foregoing manner may be manufactured very inexpensively from stampings for most'of the parts concerned andv that the necessity for the provision of toe straps is entirely avoided", although of course,these may be employed as an additional means of support if desired. Furthermore owing to the fact that the rear axle is providedl with suitable upwardly andv outwardly cranked ends, wheels of a relatively large diameter may be employed and the centre of gravity of the wheel base consequently brought to a considerably low position.

I 'claim:- Y

VVV1. A three wheeled kskate comprising two longitudinally adjustable wheeled sole and heel plate members, toe and heel engaging means integrally associated respectively with each of said plate members and co-` operating to secure the skate upon a foot in accordance with the degree of adjustment made, said heel engaging means being so located that the heel portion of the foot l resides substantially in the region between the two rear wheels of the skate, said sole plate member being provided with a yokeV bolt in said slot and eyeletv and detachably clamping said sole and heel plate members together at any desired adjustment thereof.

2. A wheel skate as claimed in claim l, in which the sole plate member has depend ing guide stops arranged to bear against opposite sides of the rearwardly extending fork limbs. 1

3. A three wheeled skate, Comprising two rear wheels and a single front wheel, Ytwo ylongitudinallyy adjustable foot supporting plate members carrying respectively toe and heel engaging means, means for supporting Yone of the plate members on its upper and lower surfaces, and means for locking the two plate members together in the adjusted positions.

4. A three wheel skate, .comprising two j rear wheels and a single frontV wheel, two brackets for supporting the rear wheels, two longitudinally adjustable foot supporting plate members, toe and heel engaging elements mounted uponrsaid plate members, said heel engaging element being connected and suspended below the twov rear wheels ice to the supporting brackets, while the toeV element is suspended below the front wheel.v

In` witness Awhereof I yaflix my JOHN HENRY WYNDHAM.'

signature.

Y no 

